How Can I Mount A Safe To Concrete?

[Rob Boudrie]

Thre is a HUGE difference in the strength of "Residential security container" rated safes.

My thoughts:

- Forget about the number/size of bolts. A thief is not going to compromise the boltwork to get in. This difference between 12 1" bolts and 20 1.5" bolts is almost irrelevant from the point of actual security - that stuff's there to appeal to buyers, and is actually a distraction from more important considerations.

- Worry about:

a). Weight/Size for resistance to carry off attacks

. Wall thickness - not the total thickness with insulation, but the amount of steel that must be cut. The general hierarchy is 12gauge < 10 gauge < 3/16" < 1/4". If the safe has a TL15 or better rating, there is no need to pay attention to this. There is a HUGE difference between a 12 gauge and a 3/16" safe - though both carry the "Residential Security Container" rating. Remember, it's the side, rear, top and bottom doors which offer the least resistance. Do not be impressed by the "Residential Security Container" rating.

c). Check into fire resistance. Funny thing - nobody gets a UL rating for fire - it's always some unknown lab or self certification rating. Still, more is better.

d). Lock. S&G Group II or better (LaGard is also pretty good). Unless you're getting a TL-15 or better safe, worring about the difference between Group II, II-M, I, and I-R is like worrying about noit having a Medeco cylinder on a front door in a house with glass windows. Electronic locks are nice, but they tend to fail "all at once" rather than gradually like mechanical locks. If you get a mechanical lock, be sure not to let the vendor bogart the combo change key. [caution: If you think the Forbidden Zone is the planet the Krull once occupied, you should skip this step]

e) Room - For your guns AND your metal cutting blades, torch tips, plasma cutters, etc .

Once you get the safe, open the door, take off the panel, add a dimensional reference (I taped a ruler to the door), and take a photograph for your files. If you ever need a drill job, this will save you time and money as well as reduce damage to the box.

[Chills1994]

Good info Rob, thanks!

And Tom, let me suggest that your friends wear steel toe boots, tarsal guards would be nice too.

I don't know how your house is situated so I don't know if renting a pallet jack would be helpful or not.

For moving clothes dryers and washers, glazier cups have come in quite handy before. They're the suction cups window installers use. You might be able to rent 'em.

I'm thinking large pry bars and lots of black or galvanized gas pipe, like the Egyptians built the pyramids.

I wonder how helpful tow straps and winch would be.

Anyway.....I'm just rambling now.

[Caspian_45]

Try using golf balls to roll the safe on. They won't damage the finish like the pipes will.

[kimel]

But golf balls will do nasty things to some flooring materials. YMMV...

[Caspian_45]

Ok, I'll put a disclaimer that reads "Golf balls will do nasty things to some floors. No warrenty imposed or implied."

[Tom Mainus]

When I built my house I put a set of stairs from the garage to the basement. We are going to screw some planks to the stairs, chain an atv with winch to my pickup truck and ease it down that way. Once down I have a small square dolly that I use for moving monster windows around and just push it into my gun room. All concrete and laminate floors, with just a little carpet. Put plywood over the carpet and were there. Piece of cake , right?

Tom